Joining the Marines at 17
Chipman talks about when he first heard about Pearl Harbor and joining the Marines at age 17. He speaks at length about different motivations for young people joining the war before being drafted. He also addresses the importance of sharing his war experiences, even when others who haven't been in battle will never fully comprehend the traumas of war.
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Hardening into Marines
Chipman describes the profound effects of boot camp in shaping self-discipline, teamwork and pride. Chipman's childhood in a physically active and very disciplined household ease the transition to the rigors of boot camp.
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Bonding and growing
After boot camp, Chipman's division was assigned to Camp Pendleton for four weeks of infantry training school. They were then transported to Hawaii and assigned as replacements for the 4th Marine Division.

The following excerpt recounts the last period of training when the young Marines met and bonded with the veteran Marines, fresh from battle in the Marianas. The respect and affection between Marines was immediate. After months of training with battle-hardened veterans, the young Marines became veterans, "emotionally and mentally."
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A deafening, deadly battle
In this excerpt, Clayton Chipman discusses his psychological preparation before battle on Iwo Jima and reflects on the difference between being scared and being afraid. He describes the 4th Marine Division's brutal landing on Iwo Jima — a day filled with relentless, deafening artillery.
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Slow, bloody going on Iwo
As the days and nights pass on Iwo Jima, Clayton Chipman and his fellow Marines measured their progress by yards as they crawled across the island's airfields under fire.
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The million-dollar wound
In this excerpt, Clayton Chipman continues to describe the hours leading up to the ninth day on Iwo Jima, the day of his "million-dollar wound." Marines were decimated as they fought to take the "Meat Grinder, " "Turkey Knob, " the "Amphitheater" and "Hill 382."
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Nightmares, gratefulness and guilt
Clayton Chipman was evacuated from Iwo Jima to an Army hospital in Pearl Harbor. In this excerpt, Chipman notes that he and other fellow Marines suffered recurring battle nightmares. He also recalls his painful emotions of gratefulness and guilt. He asks, "How can you be thankful and feel guilty at the same time?"
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Bonds for a lifetime
After his recovery, Clayton Chipman joined a baseball team in Oahu, a team that was actually a ploy to build an MP Company to be sent back to Saipan. Chipman was stationed at Saipan to flush out any enemy remaining on six islands.

In this excerpt, Chipman describes his psychological stages in the battle of Iwo Jima. Chipman describes the elation of returning home and recounts some of the challenges of returning to civilian life. This excerpt concludes with thoughts on his religious faith and the enduring bonds amongst Marines who have fought together.
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Nightmares, gratefulness and guilt
Clayton Chipman was evacuated from Iwo Jima to an Army hospital in Pearl Harbor. In this excerpt, Chipman notes that he and other fellow Marines suffered recurring battle nightmares. He also recalls his painful emotions of gratefulness and guilt. He asks, "How can you be thankful and feel guilty at the same time?"
audio clip (2:48)

Chipman: … We got to Pearl Harbor again and they put us — the Naval hospitals were all filled up — so they put us in Schofield Barracks Army Hospital. They put a dozen of us lesser-wounded Marines into the Army hospital, and they put us in a ward with the old guys that were 20, 21, 22 that had ruptures and hernias from working, you know. … The patients, the Army patients there, were afraid of us.

Van Ells: Marines, you mean.

Chipman: They were afraid of us. We were young kids; we were irresponsible. At night when one guy didn't have a nightmare the other guy …

Anyways, we'd have nightmares; and we woke those poor guys up that just had operations.

Van Ells: These are battle nightmares.

Chipman: Yes, yes. The nightmare I had recurring, all that two months or so, I still remember it. I don't have the nightmare, but I can tell you in detail what happened during it. So we weren't very welcome guests at the Army hospital. I think we were out from underneath the Marine control, and we knew that we were going back in battle. Nobody cared. That's probably another psychological study.

I missed one real important thing. I'd like to go back to the hospital ship for just a second because I think it very revealing. As I woke up that morning and we were transferred to the hospital ship, I stood at the rail and I looked at the island and you could see just where the front lines were by the flashes and the explosions and the dust and everything. My emotions emerged all at the same time; I thank the Lord for getting me through the fighting, I realized I didn't have to face death anymore at that particular time, that my injury was slight or not life-threatening, but at the same time I felt guilt that I had left my buddies. Then the question came to mind. Why was I spared? How can you be thankful and feel guilty at the same time?